Positivity In Louise Ogawa's 'Dear Miss Breed'

What does one’s response to conflict say about them? What is the best response? Studies show that positivity is one of the most effective way to react to conflict. Anne Frank, a young Jewish girl whose diary became “Anne Frank: the Diary of a Young Girl,” always tried to have a positive attitude and make the best of everything in her terrible situation. In “Dear Miss Breed” by Joanne Oppenheim, sixteen-year-old Louise Ogawa wrote in her letters to Miss Breed about how even though the living conditions were ruthless, she was determined to see the light. Positivity can affect not only one’s self, but those around them as well. In the face of responding to conflict, positivity can reduce stress and anxiety, help health, and provide a better environment. During times of conflict, positivity has been proven to reduce both stress and anxiety. In an article from the Mayo Clinic Staff, they commented that “Indeed, some studies show that personality traits such as optimism and pessimism can affect many areas of your well-being” (Mayo Clinic Staff). This article was meant to inform people how to stop negative thinking and instead turn to positive thinking to reduce stress. Positivity is considered to be contagious, and a smile or hopeful thought could change a situation. Louise Ogawa, a young Japanese American stuck in an internment camp, relayed to Miss Breed that “Yesterday I ate rice, weenies, and cabbage with a knife. That was a new experience for me! You never know how valuable